Youth engagement in decison-making at national level.

 

Many Governments have taken steps towards ensuring meaningful youth participation since the adoption of the World Programme of Action for Youth in 1995. A significant proportion of Governments have put in place national youth policies and many have also established mech anisms to facilitate more structured participation of young people in decision-making (see table 2 for illustrative examples). Some countries have established national youth councils. These serve as representative bodies that have a consultative role in the definition of youth policies. They have the right to formulate opinions and recommendations on youth issues directed to policymaking bodies at all levels of government. In some instances, youth councils are established and defined by law. In others, they are non-governmental organizations without an official legal basis that are considered as part ners to be consulted by the national authorities. National youth parliaments provide another ave nue for youth participation in decision-making. They often provide platforms for young people to articulate specific youth-related issues and to share their perspectives on matters of national importance.

An analysis of national reports on voluntary national reviews and other sources demonstrates that there have been slow but steady improvements in the engagement of young people in national Sustainable Development Goal follow-up and review efforts. This takes many forms, including engagement through national youth councils, the participation of youth in technical working groups on voluntary national reviews, the inclusion of young people in national Sustainable Development Goal councils, the appointment of a Youth Ombudsperson for the Sustainable Development Goals and the participation of young people in national delegations attend ing the high-level political forum on sustainable development. In addition, youth are often engaged in thematic policymaking processes related to specific Sustainable Development Goals, where they have a particularly strong interest. Many countries have moved to establish mechanisms for engaging students on education policy development, on entrepreneurship, jobs and skills for the future, on adolescent health and in tackling the climate crisis. Another critical area in which youth participation in decision-making is on the rise is peace and secu rity. In the 2022 report of the Secretary-General to the Security Council on youth and peace and security, several examples were highlighted of national and regional coalitions on youth and peace and security that have been established to bring together organizations led by young people, national authorities and international partners. The launch or preparation of dedicated national action plans by several countries was also described. Youth also engage in decision-making through the formal political process. While there are some encouraging examples of young parliamentarians playing significant roles as gov ernment ministers or in parliamentary committees, the fact remains that only 2.6 per cent of parliamentarians worldwide are below the age of 30 – only about 30 per cent of whom are young women. A “youth in politics” index, pro posed in Our Common Agenda, could encour age and help to track the opening of the politi cal space to youth around the world.